NEIGHBORHOODS
which was attended by 245 volunteers.
“Their efforts make a huge difference in our community,”
Beck wrote in an announcement about the event. “In 2019,
the volunteers contributed over 4,509 volunteer hours to collect
over 47,245 pounds (2,362 bags) of trash!”
Gary Smith, a former Pittsburgh attorney who retired
to Kings Isle in St. Lucie West, is a huge advocate for litter
control. Before Adopt-a-Street was formed, he was the first
volunteer to ride with the city street maintenance workers
as they traveled by golf cart to do cleanups. He organized a
symposium in December at the civic center to draw attention
to problems caused by littering. He was also a member of the
Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful committee for 18 months.
Smith founded a pickup group at Kings Isle called Ping
Pong because it was created from members of a ping pong
club in the neighborhood. Ping Pong includes four people
who pick up litter in the mile around Bethany Drive and
Bayshore Boulevard. They go out every Sunday at 7 a.m.
“because it is the safest day and time for this,” he said. Volunteers
are required by the city to watch a safety video before
their first pickup.
To help people collect the litter, Smith and volunteers make
square wooden frames that will hold the bags open at the top.
Created by group member Walt Selk, who has since passed
away, they are constructed in Smith’s garage and handed out
to all who ask for them.
“We’ve donated more than 500 of them to the city,” Smith
says. “It makes the job so much easier.”
Smith often stops near a medical building in St. Lucie West.
There, he picks up piles of cigarette butts. Recently he picked
up 473 cigarette butts in an hour and 20 minutes, he said.
>>
The late Walt Selk invented the wood collar that holds the litter bags open,
making it easy to put litter inside without touching it. Now, volunteer Gary
Smith and others run the woodworking operation to create the collars.
SAINT LUCIE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER
We welcome you to call our office at 772.462.1000 to speak
with a professional or you may also visit us at www.paslc.org
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, where all our resources are at
your fingertips!
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic our office is currently not
accepting in person visits.
However, we are still here to serve our community during
normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday.
Michelle Franklin, Certified Florida Appraiser
Port St. Lucie Magazine 25
Fort PierceOffice
2300 Virginia Avenue, Room 107
Fort Pierce, FL 34982
Saint Lucie West Office
250 NW Country Club Drive
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34986
Our Promise to You…
Superior Service,
Trusted Results
Phone:772.462.1000
Website: www.paslc.org
/www.paslc.org
/www.paslc.org
/www.paslc.org
